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mllil `la. M'. cArrALL'za A. Taro-MAS. Appara tus fur Sealing and Unsealing Dip-Pipes NITED STATES PATENT FETE.

ROBERT M. OAEEALE AND ALFRED TnOMAs, OE'LONDON, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR SEALING AND UNSEALING DIP-PIPES IN GAS HYDRAULIC MAINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,389, dated February 2, l875; application tiled J une 24, 1874.4

. certain new and useful Improvements in Gas Seals for Dip-Pipes of Hydraulic Mains, Ste., of` which the following is a specification:

Itis the object of our invention'to construct a gas-seal for use on the dip-pipes in the hydraulic mains of gas-works, or like purposes, which shall be of simple construction and effective operation, and when open shall offer little or no obstruction to the passage of the gas. To this end our invention consists in a valve of annular or tubular form, composed of a short transverse-section of a tube or cylinder, which is open' at each end, suspended permanently below the mouth of the dip-pipe,

Yand permanently submerged in' the sealing liquid, its upper edge bein g arranged to meet with the edge of the mouth of the dip-pipe to seal the same, and the said edges being removed from each other to unseal the pipe. The invention also consists in the mechanism for operating said valve, composed of a vertical rod threaded at its upper end, and engaged with a pivoted nut secured to a weighted operating lever. Figure l of the annexed drawings is a vertical section'of a portion of a gas-plant provided with our improvement, and Figs. 2, 3, and 4LA are views of modifications thereof.

As represented in Fig. l, S S is the dip-pipe, projecting within the hydraulic main X X, and communicating through the H-pipe with the retort in the usual manner. The mouth of the dip-pipe is arranged on a level, or nearly so, with the surface of the sealing liquid or tarwater within the hydraulic main', as shown, and immediately below the mouth of the pipe we suspend an annular valve, A, which remains submerged in the liquid, and is composed of a short transverse section of tubing of from two to six inches in length, open at each end, and of the same diameter as the dip-pipe, or of such size that the edges of the valve and pipe may be brought into coincidence when desired. The edge of the mouth of the dippipe is preferably beveled, and the upper edge of the valve is beveled correspondingly, as shown, and the sealing of the pipe is edected by moving or raising the valve, so that said beveled edges are brought into conjunction with each other, and the unsealing thereof is effected by the separation of said edges. The required motion of the valve, which takes place in the sealing liquid, is effected by its connection with an operating rod, B F, which passes vertically through the dip-pipe, or that portion of the H-pipe which forms the dippipe. The lower end, C C, of the rod is forked or branched for attachment with the valve, and the upper portion passes through a stnft ing-box, G, on top of the'H-pipe, above which the rod connects with a lever, K, pivoted to a standard on the H-pipe. The lever is pro vided with a weight, L, on one end, and the opposite end is connected with a hooked rod, M, which extends downward tothe mouth of the retort, where its hooked end takes under the strap N of the retort-cover, so that when the cover of the retort is being removed in discharging the rod is necessarily released, and the lever freed, the weighted arm of which descends and raises the valve-rod and valve connected with its opposite arm, thus bringing the upper edge of the valve in close contact with the edge of the mouth of the pipe, and thereby sealing or closing the mouth at the surface of the liquid, but having the effect to prolong or extend said mouth a distance below the surface of the liquid, and virtually transforming it into a dip-pipe of simple or common form, which, as will be understood, effectually prevents the back flow of gas. The valve-rod is preferably jointed at about its center, as shown at E D, Fig. l, so that when the valve is raised it will become seated more pressed, and thereby adjust the play or motion of the valve. By screwing the rod up fully the valve may become fixed, and the pipe thus changed into a dip-pipe of the simple or old form, if desired.

In Fig. l i.is represented a slight modification of our invention, which dii'ers from the principal form only in that the mechanism for operating the valve is placed exterior of the `dippipe within the hydraulic main. Figs. 2 and 3 represent other modifications, the distinction in which consists in that a lateral instead of a vertical motion is imparted to the valve. We however much prefer theprincipal form, as its construction is more simple and its operation more efficient.

One important advantage of this form of seal, although not peculiar to our invention, is, that should the pipe be left inadvertently sealed while gas was being generated, the gas would pass from the retorts in the manner that it does in the common dip-pipe-z. e., by depressing the liquid in the end ofthe tube, and bubbling up through that in the main; whereas if the seal acted by a positive closing of the pipe serious damage would occur under the circumstances mentioned.

The advantages of our invention over others of its class exists in its superior simplicity and cheapness of construction and its efficiency of operation. From the valve beingsituated outside or below the mouth of the dip-pipe the area of the pipe is not encroached upon to any material extent, and hence free passage is allowed the gas from the retorts, and from the fact of the valve being submerged in the sealing liquid it is always kept wet, and hence a film ofthe liquid always remains on the valveseat, which assists iu making a tighter joint; and for the same reason incrusted deposits of tar or other distillates from the retorts are prevented taking place upon the valve or its seat, which would occur were the valve arranged within the pipe and above the surface of the liquid, and thus interfere with its proper operation. Furthermore, from the simple form of the valve in its being merely a ring, the edge of which forms the seat, its construction is rendered very simple and cheap, and it may be formed by turning a ring from the same tubing that forms the dip-pipe.

We are aware of that class of gas-seals in which the dip pipe terminates a distance above the surface of the sealing liquid, and has suspended below it a cup or basin filled with the liquid, which is raised or lowered to or from the mouth of the dip-pipe; and also of that gas-seal having a tubular valve within the dip-pipe and above the surface of the sealing liquid; but they are distinct from our invention, and we disclaim them.

What We claim as our invention is- 1. A gas-seal for the dip-pipes of gas-works or like purposes, formed of an annular valve or cylindrical ring suspended below the mouth of the dippipe, and permanentlyvsubmerged in the sealing liquid, its upper edge meeting with the edge of the dip-pipe to effect the sealing thereof, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a gas-seal, in combination with the valve A, dip-pipe S S, and Weighted lever K, the threaded operating rod B F, and pivoted nut J, substantially as set forth.

R. M. CAFFALL. A. THOMAS. 

